Numerous different types of mobile electronic devices currently exist for both computing and/or telecommunications. Many of these mobile devices are capable of performing diverse sets of functions (i.e., tasks), providing a wide range of behaviors to perform various tasks, as well as interacting wirelessly over a cellular network, WiFi, an enterprise network, or other medium. For instance, smart cellular phones (i.e., “smart phones”) have functionalities and applications, such as, global positioning systems (GPS), cameras, Internet access, computing processors, input/output units, and various other computing and communication components.
In performing and providing these different functions and behaviors, mobile devices often implement the use of one or more service providers that enable intercommunications between the various mobile devices. Typical service providers may include telecommunications service providers, network service providers, Internet service providers, transactional service providers (e.g., E-Bay, Amazon, etc.), and the like. Service providers may communicate through wired connections, wireless connections, or even both, to enable the intercommunication and connectivity between the various mobile devices.
Mobile devices are typically connected to wireless service providers. Once connected to a particular wireless service provider, a user of the mobile device may request a task or operation to be performed using such wireless service provider. These tasks and/or operations may include set user preferences or conditions for performing or completing such tasks/operations. For instance, user preferences may include, but are not limited to, predetermined or set financial parameters that the user is willing to expend (e.g., pricing plans and limits), performance requirements for completing such tasks on the mobile device, timing requirements, and the like. With all these preferences and/or conditions, often times the requested tasks and/or operations cannot be fully completed by the wireless service provider, which leads to end user (e.g., customer) frustration.
Often times wireless service providers cannot complete requested tasks/operations due to the service provider not having the required processing or service level features or capacities. It may also be due to low signal availability (e.g., weak RF signal strength), lost or dropped connections between the mobile device and the wireless service provider, or even poor service availability that prevent the mobile device from reaching its full potential (e.g., slow data transfer rates to and from the wireless service provider). Other reasons requested tasks/operations may not be completed on the mobile device are low wireless service provider coverage that causes unpredictable device performance (i.e., coverage does not extend to all geographic areas), as well as high costs of unnecessary device features that are detrimental to the user's experience.
To combat wireless service provider weak signal strength, or the slow data transfer rates, these service providers have enabled users to locally install a small, low-power cellular base station that connects to their wireless cellular networks. However, locally installed base stations are limited to users on the same network and only resolve signal issues in a small geographic area. Another resolution to weak wireless signal strength, or slow data transfer rates, is channel bonding. However, since channel bonding relates to static hardware and network configurations, it is not suitable for use with mobile devices.
As such, a need continues to exist for allowing mobile devices to easily, efficiently, and cost effectively switch between different wireless service providers based on available features and coverage for optimal mobile device use and performance.